Ellie Watts, an experienced leader with strong ties to Nebraska’s food processing industry, has been selected as the next Director of the Food Processing Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She will begin her new role Oct. 14.
Watts, a graduate of the UNL’s Food Science and Technology Department, has held a variety of roles within Nebraska’s food manufacturing and food processing sector. Over her 20-year career, she has held product development positions with TreeHouse Foods, Rembrandt Foods and ConAgra Brands. Most recently, she was the Director of Research and Development at ConAgra Brands.
Watts credits her UNL education, which included hands-on work in the Loeffel Meat Lab, with preparing her for a career in Food Science.
“It’s been really exciting to work in so many aspects of food processing, utilize the knowledge I learned at UNL as a student, dig into the industry, apply that to new product development, and now return to the University,” she said.
Located on Nebraska Innovation Campus and Housed within the UNL Department of Food Science and Technology, the Food Processing Center is designed to support the food industry. The Food Processing Center provides a combination of consulting, educational, technical and business development services to both start-ups and established food businesses of all sizes. The director of the Food Processing Center manages businesses development relations, markets the center’s capabilities, coordinates projects, and ensures the center’s financial stability. The director also works to make sure the Food Processing Center is working collaboratively with the research, teaching, and extension platforms of the university.
“The Food Processing Center plays a critical role in fulfilling our land-grant mission,” said Rich Bischoff, associate vice chancellor for UNL’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “Ellie brings a wonderful blend of leadership, passion, expertise and energy to her new role, and I am excited to see how the Food Processing Center grows and evolves under her leadership.”
Watts said she was looking forward to many things about beginning her new role. She is excited to work with university experts in microbiology, food for health and food allergens and other areas. She looks forward to meeting Food Science and Technology students, many of whom work at the center to develop foundational skills that serve them throughout their careers. And she is excited to work with food manufacturing businesses and entrepreneurs across Nebraska and elsewhere.
“What I think is so exciting about the food industry is food is so personal for people. With food, you are nourishing your family, you’re entertaining, you’re taking care of your health,” Watts said. “And at the Food Processing Center, we can leverage our largest industry and support our commodities while also creating something really personal for consumers.”
